Война и мир

Chapter 3

           

           “Oh,yes,yes!”repliedthecommanderinchief.“Howishe?...”

           Thesmallgroupthatassembledbeforedinnerintheloftyold-fashioneddrawingroomwithitsoldfurnitureresembledthesolemngatheringofacourtofjustice.Allweresilentortalkedinlowtones.PrinceNicholascameinseriousandtaciturn.PrincessMaryseemedevenquieterandmorediffidentthanusual.Theguestswerereluctanttoaddressher,feelingthatshewasinnomoodfortheirconversation.CountRostopchínalonekepttheconversationgoing,nowrelatingthelatesttownnews,andnowthelatestpoliticalgossip.

           Lopukhínandtheoldgeneraloccasionallytookpartintheconversation.PrinceBolkónskilistenedasapresidingjudgereceivesareport,onlynowandthen,silentlyorbyabriefword,showingthathetookheedofwhatwasbeingreportedtohim.Thetoneoftheconversationwassuchasindicatedthatnooneapprovedofwhatwasbeingdoneinthepoliticalworld.Incidentswererelatedevidentlyconfirmingtheopinionthateverythingwasgoingfrombadtoworse,butwhethertellingastoryorgivinganopinionthespeakeralwaysstopped,orwasstopped,atthepointbeyondwhichhiscriticismmighttouchthesovereignhimself.

           Atdinnerthetalkturnedonthelatestpoliticalnews:Napoleon’sseizureoftheDukeofOldenburg’sterritory,andtheRussianNote,hostiletoNapoleon,whichhadbeensenttoalltheEuropeancourts.

           “BonapartetreatsEuropeasapiratedoesacapturedvessel,”saidCountRostopchín,repeatingaphrasehehadutteredseveraltimesbefore.

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